Home to Pherae
by Houyoku
Summary: [One-shot] The journey of the Pheraens whose loyalty have been sorely tested. The longest and Final sequel to 'Wildflower of Pherae' and 'Cursed man of Badon'. Their sadness is soon to be their happiness.


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Home to Pherae

By Becki ^__^

Fire Emblem (C) Nintendo and Intelligent Systems

*Covers her head* I'm sorry, really I am! I can't stay away from the whole series I started with '_Wildflower of Pherae' _and _'Cursed man of Badon'_ back when ^^; This is doomed to be the last sequel in the trilogy (Oo;), so yeah ^_^; This will be when the entire crew (meaning Rebecca, Dart and Wil) return home (using the A support conversations between all characters (I know it's not realistic to the game, but work with me, it's only a fanfic!)) 

The narrative is third person as usual, (mostly from Rebecca's narrative) but it'll skip around. ^_^; The setting skips a lot too, sorry if it's confusing -_- I just wrote what I felt!

Ha, Kiyoko! It's not a before Fire Emblem Fic! (my first one too o_.) And there's no tactician, sorry, I didn't feel like putting in an OC ^^; (And you do know that you don't have to have a tactician if you skip Lyn's story and go straight to Eliwood's/ Hector's right?)

And another warning... This is somewhat long ^_^; I don't expect you to read it all at once, so take breaks once in a while if you want, 'kay? (I would have made chapters, but since the two others were one-shots, it would kinda ruin the whole theme!) 

Also, a big thank you to all those who reviewed my other fics!

~Becki

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A Familiar Face

She edged another look towards him. Her eyes would always stray. The only way she could ever stop them was to close her eyes entirely. Something about him, some instinct told her that she knew him.. Where could it be from..? Ever since they had set foot on the Davros, she had recognized him.. but.. from where?

They had set up camp on Valor. The Dread Isle. As an archer and a long range-fighter she was vital to the team. Her agility was put to the test as well as her endurance. She had survived the bandits' raids at her home, she had survived sneaking into Caelin castle. She had survived the intense battle on the ship over the enigmatic teal haired girl they called Ninian. 

She was strong. She would survive Valor.

All she wanted was to repay the debt she owed to Lord Eliwood. She admired him for the most part, not only because he was a skilled leader although he was young, but also because he was so willing to help someone in such a low class as she.

Rebecca looked around camp, the flicker of the fire on her face. 

_This horrid mist.._ She thought, shivering unconsciously. _I.. don't like it._ Closing the cloak closer to her body, she looked at the ground, studying a stone as the orange glow fed it with light. She was not alone, more mercenaries were there as well, to guard the camp. Lord Eliwood and Hector as well as Lady Lyndis and their guards had gone to scout ahead. They took a thief named Matthew as well to be their eyes in the darkness. But although there were so many others here, she felt alone.

She missed her home in Pherae. The comforting flowers which danced in the breeze, the warm kitchen where she would experiment with recipes and feed her family. 

Her hands involuntarily ran over the smooth side of her mahogany framed bow. It was her pride, the talent she had in archery. The best huntress in her small village, never missing her prey whether it be fowl or venison. It was hard to imagine that she had flinched at any sign of blood, but she still was reluctant to touch it, or even look at it.

"Rebecca!" Snapping her head up, she saw General Marcus upon his splendid white horse calling to her. Getting up hastily and brushing the dust and soot from her lap, she replied as stern as she could.

"Yes, sire?" 

"We will be riding out to battle! Lady Lyndis was almost accosted and we're under attack! Prepare and come quickly!"  
"Yes sir!" She replied briskly. Tossing aside her cloak she threw on her shoulder guard and tied it across her chest. As she tightened the clasp, she decided not to put on her bandana, instead tossing on the dark cloak for warmth. Her quiver was already laced to her belt, her bow at hand. Another battle, to come and go. 

A few more chosen soldiers were roused to be taken out to fight. She recognized a Pegasus Knight near the horses trying to quickly prepare her steed. Her hands trembled as she tried to tie the knot on the reins. 

Rebecca came quickly to offer her help, dropping her bow and using her nimble fingers to lace the leather into the metal ring. Florina paled and stuttered her thanks before giving a nervous look towards Rebecca's bow which lay on the ground. 

Rebecca smiled in sincerity, touching Florina's timid shoulder.

"Allies must not fear each other. You'll do well out there, Florina. No need to be nervous" 

"I'm, sorry, um.. I'm always like this before, before battle.."

"Don't worry about a thing! I'll watch your back!" She winked in a friendly manner, the row of green strands falling into her eyes.

"Th-hank you Rebecca! I'll, I'll do my best!" With a lighthearted skip, she jumped onto the saddle and took hold of the reins. It was not until after Florina had kicked her Pegasus into flight did Rebecca bend down to pick up her bow. It was almost like a family here. Even on the Dread Isle where 'all who enter never return.' They encouraged each other and knew each other's strengths. 

But in her heart, there was a different mission she had. A mission that had been true since her childhood, not only for herself but her family as well. Her quest was deep within, personal and somewhat similar to Lord Eliwood's himself. 

When she came out towards the edge of the woods, away from the beach, she saw Merlinus' tent already raised and staked into the ground, the blue flap tumbling in the cold wind. As she breathed out, a silky could of vapor grasped the air and clung on before fluttering away. There were not many others roused up. She saw the circle of Lords discussing their best alternatives. She looked around. Matthew was nowhere to be seen. 

Feeling a bit apprehensive, she was wondering how on Elibe she was to navigate through the dense mist without being ambushed. 

"Hey! Rebecca..?" She turned at the sound of her name, not sure whether she recognized her voice. She held her hands up in case this stranger be anything like the cavalier named Sain she had unfortunately met the other day. 

Another archer approached her, and he stopped. He wore the apparel of a traveler, a teal overcoat lined with orange. His eyes were bright and cheery, hair an auburn brown. His eyes studied her face, and she wrinkled her brow with uncertainty. The archer suddenly raised his eyes in recognition.

"Yeah! Rebecca!" The female archer was unsure if this person was making a mistake, but she was unsure if she knew him as well. Crossing her arms and minding her bow, she turned her eyes down as she studied him as well. He was one of the archers of Caelin, she remembered, when they were retaking Caelin from Laus. 

"Um.. who are you again..?" She asked as politely as she could. The archer raised his eyebrows in surprise, but his cheery expression did not diminish.

"Wha-..? You don't.. I'm Wil! You know, the guy next door?" Rebecca searched her mind, wondering what he was talking about. Could it be... no.. it couldn't be.. not here of all places..

"I.. know of no such person." She answered finally, unsure of the situation. The spark in his eyes dropped as he looked apologetic.

"...really..?" Rebecca just kept her frown as Wil tightened his grasp on the strap belonging to a quiver on his shoulder. He weakly smiled, eyes blank. "Sorry, I guess I thought you were a different person.."

"What..?" She remembered that look.. that expression of sudden optimism in regret.

"Well, so long.." He waved two fingers and made his way back towards the crowd of waiting mercenaries. He didn't seem embarrassed in the least.. It must be..

"Wait!" Rebecca stretched out a hand and called to his back. But he was quick, and had already treaded out of her voice range. As she watched his figure move farther away, she frowned and shut her eyes. "Drat!" 

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Disappointed, Rebecca slumped to the ground. The battle at Valor was over. But.. the battle for Elibe seemed to have begun. Although the lords did not say much about what had happened at Dragon's gate, there was a great amount of sorrow whispering on the winds as they returned home on the Davros. When Rebecca would turn, she would see Lord Eliwood retreating below decks, and there was not a doubt on her mind that he was suffering more than he was willing to show.

But there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing that anybody could do. She tried to smile and lighten the spirits.

She turned her head, the green cloth tied over her head flipping in the salty wind. She saw him. The man on the crow's nest. She raised a hand to cover her eyes from the sun, knowing that silhouette as if she had seen it for years. Perhaps.. she had.. 

Then she remembered that conversation at the battle of Dragon's gate. She had finally mustered the courage to speak to him. To.. Dart.

As she had approached him to perhaps speak with him, she knew immediately he had to be who she thought it was. From the back she saw his muscular frame, the crop of brownish green hair from beneath that filthy white bandana. It must be him. She had told herself. It must be.

But he flatly refused it, and seemed honest about it too. When he turned as she addressed him, she was surprised at what she saw. From a distance, he looked like her brother. But his face was hard. And different from her brothers. As the conversation progressed, he introduced himself as a mate of the Pirate Captain Fargus. This startled her. Her brother would never join Pirates, no matter how friendly. Now as she thought about it, she thought her reaction to his introduction was a bit rude..

Dropping her quiver to the ground, she grasped the rigging, careful about the bag which was slung over her shoulder. Nimbly she pulled herself up, holding her head to keep the wild strands of hair out of her eyes. The higher she climbed, the brighter the reflection of the sunlight was on her eyes.

Finally, her head came to the level of the crow's nest's floor. Dart didn't see her there, but was busying himself through a looking glass across the ocean.

"Umm.." She coughed to get his attention. The winds roared over her small voice, and he did not hear. So she called loudly. "Dart!" He turned around, caught unaware, his face angry at the person who would dare spy on him. But his face changed as he recognized her timid face.

"What..? You again?" He seemed a bit fed up with her, although this was only the second time she ever spoke to him.

"My name is Rebecca." She said quickly. "I wanted to apologize for.. earlier.." 

"Apologize..?" 

"For.. being frightened of you." Rebecca lowered her gaze to the wood of the floor, rubbing the surface with her hand. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to worry 'bout. It's rare to find a woman who doesn't fear pirates."

"Maybe.. but, I'm still very sorry." Dart gave an impatient face.

"I said it's fine, it--" He was cut off quickly as his words were preceded by a loud grumbling in his stomach. He looked down curelessly and remarked. "Oog.. that beast in my belly is growling again.."

Rebecca almost couldn't help from laughing. Quickly remembering her bag, she quickly got up and sat down on the floor of the crow's nest, taking off her leather bag and resting it on her knee.

"Oh! Here! Take this!" She produced a cloth shaped into a bag tied with a cord. She held it up, and Dart watched it both curiously and suspiciously.

"What's that..?"

"It's a special lunch I make!" Rebecca felt all uncomfortable feelings she had with Dart fade. Now that she knew he wasn't her brother, she felt a bit better.. but still.. she was still lonely. Casting aside these thoughts, she continued, opening the bag and showing him the contents. "Fresh fruit, roasted fowl with herbed bread, and..-" She stopped as her ears caught the groaning of the pirate's stomach. Passing the cloth up, she smiled earnestly.

"Here you go." Dart took it cautiously, but he himself grinned.

"Err.. all right. So now we're even? Is that fair?" Rebecca clapped her hands together in agreement.

"Sure!" And to be polite, she left Dart alone with his lunch and climbed down the rigging. Her heart felt lighter. She was sure that she had made a new friend. Her braids bounced as she made her way back towards her quiver. 

The mercenaries were scattered around the deck, preparing their weapons or conversing with one another. As her emerald eyes fell over the faces of the people, her gaze fell on a particular person. 

Wil sat cross-legged on the ground, fledging arrows. His knife moved along the shafts of wood, his hands tying the feathers on. It was as a good a time as any. She had to confront him again.

"Wil!" She called as she dropped her quiver once more and ran over. The archer looked up with a confused glance, and he dropped his project, wiping the sawdust from his palms.

"Oh.. ah.. you.. So.. what's your name again..?"

"Rebecca!" Came her distraught reply.

"Huh..? So.. your name _is_ Rebecca?! What a coincidence, I used to know a.." 

"That's what I mean! I _am_ that Rebecca!" She cut him off violently.

"What..? But didn't you say that you didn't know who I was..?" Rebecca felt her cheeks flush.

"I did but... really! How could I have the same face _and_ the same name as the person you're thinking about? Just believe me!" But Wil was still apprehensive.

"So.. it is you, Rebecca..?"

"Yes!"

"..." He grinned openly and stood up. "Then why didn't you say so earlier? It's been such a long time!" Rebecca felt herself get angry. It had been a bad idea to talk to him just after she was being so light-hearted..

"Don't tell _me_ how long it's been! You left home saying that you were on a journey and you never came back!"

"Oh! Yeah.. I enlisted in the Caelin army.." So he was the same person she saw in Caelin. But to be sure, her skepticism remained.

"In the army..? You did..?"

"Yep. I wandered for a few years, but now my service is for Lyn." He replied casually, almost happily. Rebecca clenched her fist, her tone frosting.

"Lyn.. you mean Lady Lyndis..?" But as she was speaking, Wil remained oblivious.

"Oh, right! I really should use her full name and title." Rebecca's mind stormed. How could he.. dare do that to her..? Was it not five years ago he promised to come back to Pherae to her? He promised to be stronger and.. "I am in her service you know.." he never returned and by fate Rebecca knew he wouldn't have.. "I should really get her title right, you know.." Was Lady Lyndis.. somebody so special to him that he would forget her..? 

Rebecca turned her face down, the layers of hair covering her face. Wil noticed.

"Rebecca..?" She didn't answer, but he went on. "What's wrong..? Why is your face all..-"

She looked up at him. Her face was a frown, wet, stinging eyes and blushed face. The happy smile she wore earlier was completely gone. Only fury and pain remained. Was he really that clueless?

"Idiot!" She raised her foot, with a sharp swipe of her legs caught Wil unsuspecting fully in the stomach. Rebecca saw him stagger back, but she dashed passed him. She heard nothing more. The tears in her eyes were painful. The ball of unspoken words and thoughts in her throat hurt just as much. She just continued to run. 

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There was a mist again. Deep and sickening, just as it had been on Valor. Wil frowned and narrowed his eyes in an attempt to see through the mist. His stomach did not smart anymore, but there was still confusion.

Through the mist it was hard to see whether the person that spoke to him was friend or foe. And although he was part of the defensive this battle, he felt wary. If that scorching desert had been enough, there was more, he felt, that was to become of him and his journey. The mist caused a slippery effect on his steel bow as he tried to find a secure grip on it. 

Well, whatever would happen, it couldn't be any worse than what he encountered the other day. Wil grimaced just thinking about it. That mad pirate, attacking him as if he were an enemy.

_Ah.. what was his name again..?_ He wondered. _Dars... Darg... Not Dan.._ He had confirmed that his name was definitely not Dan. Besides, Dan had returned to Pherae long ago. But if Rebecca was here.. 

Then his mind wandered back completely to Rebecca. What had she been so mad about..?

As if on cue, heard her voice, and then her laugh. _A child's laugh.._ he thought. She didn't seem to have changed over the five years. 

She came through the mist, back towards the defensive units. Wil hurriedly left his station and approached her before she left, willing to take any more physical abuse.

"Hey.." Rebecca looked around, startled as Wil called. In a flash she tucked the shell into her bag, took an arrow and strung it. When she saw him, her arrow remained strung, but she did not lower her weapon either. Wil ignored this and continued. "What are you so mad about? Did I do something..?" 

Rebecca lowered her bow, loosing the string, but did not speak. Wil shook his head.

"I don't get it.." And thus came the explosion.

"I _don't_ care if you do! Why don't you go to Lady Lyndis?!" She said, her voice solid yet sarcastic. And Wil raised his eyebrows as he began to understand. _She still is a child.._

"You can't let it go, can you..? All those things we did and said when we were little.." Unknowingly, he hit the soft spot.

"Shut up!" She said, the bow in her hands quivering. "I'm nobody to you!" Wil replied gently, still not completely understanding.

"What.. does that mean?"  
"Look, Wil, I don't care where you go! Just stay away from me, understand? You're just like my brother, he left and never came back with any word or anything!" Rebecca turned away, prepared to run, but Wil stopped dead still.

"Dan.. hasn't come back home yet.." His words stopped her for a moment being, and clenched her hands. 

"No..." Her shoulders were trembling. "W-why..?"

"Dan and I left together.. to help our families long ago. Things didn't.. turn out the way we planned, and... well.. we parted at Badon.. Rebecca, that was only a few months after we left the village!" 

"Then.." Rebecca looked like she wanted to run, to close her ears to this. But.. she stood fixed at the spot. "Then my brother.. he.."

"I'm..- I'm sorry Rebecca. I thought Dan returned to Pherae _years _ago." 

And she was silent. Wil felt her grief. Dan was his best friend.. he thought.. he was home...

"Rebecca.." He touched her shoulder. She turned her face reluctantly to him. He saw a single tear had made its way from her eyes. Only one. She.. was strong..

"I'm sorry.. that I left.. It must have been.. hard for you." Wil's words softened her face and she turned away, burying her face into her hands.

"Wil!" She wept now. Wil then swallowed. It was time for a promise, he swore that he would keep.

"I.. won't leave you again. I'll always stay near to protect you."

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_Adventure.. What a word.._ Dart looked over the decks, over the ocean, at the setting sun. It was over. Almost a month after Nergal's defeat. His home was on the sea, on the Davros.. not.. on land..

His hand rested at his right side. Over that scar which had marked him. 

A sigh escaped unwittingly, and Dart swallowed it back as he saw Fargus coming. Things had settled down to what it had been before. Back to the skirmishes and attacking other ships for plunder the rich did not need. But.. it was no longer exciting.

"A ship!" Dart turned up towards the crow's nest where the watcher called down. Fargus with his golden looking glass scanned the horizon. Dart heard him mutter.

"Those whelps! They ride as if all of Elibe were at their tails!" Dart raised a hand to his brow and stared at the growing speck. The Captain was right. The ship was coming towards them fast. And.. for what purpose? Dart watched as Fargus prepared his axe.

"Be ready. This sort seems to want to pick a fight.." Dart couldn't help but grin.

"They must be insane."

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Rebecca watched smugly as she saw Wil accepted by his long missed parents. He.. had kept his promise. It couldn't have made her any happier. It healed the wounds of grudge and loneliness she had before. Lord Eliwood was to be coroneted, all of Pherae was in bliss. Caelin was to be in Ostia's rule, and Wil returned with his childhood friend five years after leaving. Everything had resolved. 

Rebecca lowered her eyes.

Not.. everything..

"Rebecca.." Flicking her head back up, she saw her mother.. her father. Her mother who had encouraged her through the years, helped her plant the flowers and cook the food. Her father who had praised her good eye at the bow and skill at the hunt. That empty chair which had been empty for so many years.

Rebecca smiled, but it hurt. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and she felt cold. It was a game. She told herself. He belonged to the sea. That was where his heart lies.. just like...

There was a gentle touch at the back of her arm. She turned around and saw Wil's smiling face above her eyes. And she breathed in gently, taking in that familiar scent of the warm wildflowers. And, her smile became true. She would not lose the strength that she had gained.

"Wil.." She called gently.

"Hm..?" He blankly replied. She closed her eyes and did not answer. The sun was warm against her face, the day was old. The wind breathed on her face, the tangy, salty taste of the wind at her lip. Opening her lively eyes, both she and Wil simultaneously turned their heads towards the path leading towards the gate of the city.

A man stood there. An axe strapped to his back, bandages wrapped across his chest. His face was fatigued and pale from what seemed to be a lack of blood. Rebecca's spirits rose, and only one syllable was heard whispered, then lost in the seafaring wind.

"Dart." 

Fin.


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